Happy Monday, everyone! I hope you all had fantastic weekends. We went hiking, which = awesomeness. And afterward we stumbled upon the cutest little wedding location… more on that, later. Now, on to more important things… like THIS:

Esmé satin platform sandals

-♡-

Have you heard? I’m sure you’ve seen chatter about this, but do you know the unbelievable news, in full? First this happened, and now this is happening ↘

That’s right; J.Crew is opening its very own Bridal Boutique, right in the heart of New York City. This is kind of a big deal. And here’s why: I love a lot of what J.Crew offers in its wedding line. Like, overall, love it. Love a handful of wedding gowns, looooove a lot of their bridesmaids dresses, and adoooore their bitty baby frocks (aka flower girl looks). What do I hate? That I CAN’T TRY ANY OF THEM ON.

I’m really looking forward to just plain loving everything about J.Crew’s bridal line, now that they’re opening a store at 769 Madison Avenue, right down the block from where I live – just kidding, I so don’t live on Madison Avenue. But it’s a nice little ride on the train from where I’m located, and I will be taking that ride as soon as this boutique opens. Hallelujah, J.Crew. You finally opened a freaking bridal shop. Jeez. Took you long enough. (Awww, you know I’m hard on you because I love you.)

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Now, while I enjoy their bridal gowns immensely, I have a little news for you… it’s really their bridesmaids’ gowns that rock my socks off. In fact, I think I’d even consider wearing one of them on my wedding day. Whoa! Yes, I know, weird. (Well, really only if I did the City Hall thing.) But seriously, if you take a look at them… well, they’re just gorgeous. So I HIIIGHLY recommend handing each of your maids a swatch and sending them on their merry way to find the perfect dress for your big day. Ooh, and some jewelry and shoes to match. :D

(I feel compelled to note here that it’s a real shame they don’t put their magazine images online – pretty much none of these pics do the dresses justice. Like, at all. Please order the catalog; so much better – so much more eye candy to eat up. Believe me.)

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Silk taffeta Clementine dress

Silk chiffon Taryn dress

Silk taffeta Lorelei dress

Cotton cady Madeleine dress

Jewelry!!!

Pearl and silk wrapped necklace – natural

More jewelry…

MORE jewelry!!!

Another shoe (!!!)…

This one’s the Nicolette strappy heel

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So, are you interested in having a consultation (aka try-on-fest!) with one of their bridal consultants? Great news: even though they’re not set to open until early this Summer, they’re already taking appointments. Which is interesting to me. Anyway, want one? Just email Kate@j.crew.com!

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xoxo! -Alison

Ooh, I almost forgot! Two things:

1) For everyone who was subjected to my teaser about a certain “PERFECT GOWN” the other day on Twitter, fear not; I will be revealing this incredible find (not J.Crew, by the way) in the near future. Quick hint: it’s got it all.

2) I found the CUTEST LITTLE SHORT WHITE DRESS the other day. I’m seriously going to post about it this week, I think tomorrow. It’s sooooo cute. Just wait ’til you see it!!!!!

I just LOVE this wedding; the details make me so incredibly happy. The little Ferrero Rocher gold-foil wrapped chocolates (a childhood fave of mine) marking each guest’s seat at the table, the bride’s big, magnificent jewelry, the simplicity and skillful use of color… and, most of all… HER DRESS. This, ladies and gentlemen, is how a dress should fit. You know and I know that it really does all come down to that. (Well, aside from all the love and happiness stuff, but you follow me.)

The thing is, if your dress fits properly, you own the day. Simple as that. No worries about photos marred by your constant need to lift a falling strapless gown – which happens waaaaay too often. No unsightly gathering or bulging at the waste when you sit down to eat (that is, if you sit down to eat). Proper fit is important, and I advise you to go out and get it. But don’t fret; it’s not a requirement that you spend copious amounts of your earnings on alterations. You may need to do a little sleuthing, but I’m confident that someone you know, somewhere, has the 411 on a stellar seamstress who’s well-versed in making dress dreams come true.

Doesn’t she look phenomenal?!! A perfect fit will leave you looking stylish and sexy, but still completely appropriate. Which is pretty much my definition of the ideal wedding day look.

Now, check out a bride with what I consider a fab, simple ‘do, also shot by Sara. Her name’s Julie, and while she’s stunning head to toe, I especially admired what she did up top on her wedding day. So basic; half-up, half-down. But the classic, timeless beauty of the look she has accomplished makes me swoon!

The love I have for these bridal accessories is comparable to that which I hold for my unborn child. (Don’t have one of those yet so I probably don’t know the true meaning of a statement like that, but I’m still confident that I’ve drawn an appropriate parallel.)

This is not only a grouping of some of the most lovely accessories EVER, but also some truly incredible wedding day hairstyle inspiration. Heck yes, a twofer!

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First up is Lo Boheme‘s Spring/Summer 2010 collection, shot by the fabulous Marisa Holmes in her historic 1888 studio. … These make my mouth water. I need to have about seven of them in my life. Not to mention those DRESSES. I wish they were selling those dresses!!!

Check out their etsy shop if you’d like to have one of these beautiful things in your life.

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This next headpiece blows my mind. I found it over on my darling friend Melissa’s blog, The Loveliest Day. Check. Out. This. Shot.

Yeah. That stunning young woman’s name is Dana, and she’s got herself an Etsy shop called Retr0lux, where she sells fabo headpieces just like the one you see on her beautiful head. And I WANT IT. I also want to look like this on my wedding day. Thought I hated huge, ruffled statement mini jackets. HAH! I WAS SO WRONG. Dana defines style for me today. Can the two of us please go shopping on Melrose sometime? I didn’t realize I needed some pointers until I met you and your unique, brilliant fashion sense.

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I caught a glimpse of Ban.do‘s new line, the “Black Label,” on Mixed Plate, and it made the happiness area of my brain go insane. I had never appreciated head decoration all that much until the very first time I discovered Jen and Jamie’s hyper-feminine designs long ago, and this, their newest line, is doing its part to hold my interest. You guys are gonna eat these things up. Eat. Them. Up.

Yeah, I told you! By the way, I kind of can’t take how ridiculously beautiful this model is. For those of you who don’t know, it’s Alison Sudol, of A Fine Frenzy! Gotta love it.

I think it’s no secret around here how positively OBSESSED I am with the ladies of Simply Bloom. But here‘s some proof. Here, too.

And here‘s a more recent post featuring one of their yummiest engagement sessions EVUH. If you decide to click on it, you’ll see that I included a teaser in anticipation of this exact shoot that I am so freakin’ excited to share with you now. I am, like, bursting at the seams right now over this shoot!!!

The biggest thing I take away from these photos – aside from their outRAGEOUS beauty and color – is the impact that just a few thoughtfully chosen details can have on your very own e-session. If you’re looking to ramp up the cute factor of your upcoming shoot, I suggest taking some pointers from Vania and Christine’s direction with this shoot (they’re the dynamic duo behind Simply Bloom). This means a trip to the antique store is a MUST. You never know what you’ll find and that makes it SOOOOO FUUUUN. In this shoot, the ladies employed a brilliantly colored french cookbook, a tea set, a honey bear, eggs, an apron, mini paper lanterns, some desserts… ok they went crazy with props. And I love them all the more for it – just look at the results!!! BUT you don’t need ALL of this to make your e-session stand out, I promise. Even just one or two props, if carefully chosen, can a perfectly pretty e-session make. No antique stores nearby? I’d advise checking out your local Anthropologie. A bit more pricey, but hey, it’s your engagement… which means it’s worth it, OBVIOUSLY. Plus, they almost always have a nice gathering of odds and ends in their sale section. For example, last time I went they had this huge wicker basket of totally random and totally rad door knobs. An inspiration shoot stylist’s dream.

Final thought on the matter: it certainly doesn’t hurt to have the ladies of Simply Bloom taking your pictures. ;)

Want to see the rest? That’s a stupid question. Click here to go straight to the Simply Bloom blog for more!

When I saw a few of these precious little frocks featured on Utterly Engaged, I fell head over heels in love with J.Crew’s flower girl line. I’m pretty sure you will, too. Now, I may have gone a little overboard in this post – I’ve included what seems to be nearly every gown they offer, from silk taffeta to dupioni to tousled tulle. But you know what? I post what I love, and I love pretty much all of them, so why stop at five when I love 15? You get me.

Just wait until you scroll down. It’s not only the dresses that have me swooning; their little girl shoes are absolutely adorable, and the jewelry + embellishments they have available are simply too charming for words. Honestly, everything is so darling, it almost makes me sick.

Twinkle ballet flats! Oh, how delightful.

Patent-leather Mary Janes:

Satin ballet flats with rosettes:

Yup, they come in white, too.

Keeping it casual? Here’s a simple satin ballet flat for the little munchkin.

The only thing I love more than these silk organza flower pins, is the fact that they’re 30% off when you buy two or more of them. That’s kinda nice. Sadly, I don’t have a use for them, but I hope you do!

Aaaand finally, a few pearls to round out the look and add that oh so fine finishing touch.

There’s kind of a HUGE price disparity between the necklace and the bracelet, by the way. I don’t really understand it (aside from the obvious fact that we’re dealing with real and fake). Still, that bracelet is WAY less expensive than you probably think it is. Like, shockingly so. So, as my fiancé likes to kid – here’s today’s lesson in Economics 101 with Alison: why buy a little girl freshwater pearls when they make perfectly good fake ones? This way, when she misplaces or fully loses it sometime between when you give it to her and your ceremony, it won’t be that big of a deal. Because she probably will lose it. And you will get upset, if they were freshwater pearls. No, not normal you – the crazy, getting married version of you who’s capable of losing her temper in front of little girls.

Miley Cyrus wore this sparkling beauty of a gown at the Oscars, and I had mixed feelings about it. First, check it out on one of Packham’s (especially angry looking) models. A lovely gown, it is. I’m a fan of the yellow backdrop, as well. It’s bright and uplifting, but, most of all, seems to be doing its part to summon a long overdue Brady Bunch musical reunion special.

… Pretty dress, right? Pretty unique, pretty sparkly, pretty corsetty without being too corsetty… overall, quite pretty, indeed. However, on such a young starlet like Miley (she wore it to the 82nd Annual Academy Awards on March 7), I have to admit, I felt more than a little uncomfortable looking at her. Because when I look at her, I believe I’m looking at a 28 year old woman.

But, like Dr. Oz says, “it’s time for her real age…”

Here it comes…

… She was born November 23, 1992, and that makes her 17 years old.

17.

Okay, don’t get me wrong; she looks fabulous. It’s just that it seems a little early in life to be dressing that adult. And by adult, I mean letting it all hang out. Which isn’t necessarily adult, per se. But you catch my drift.

What really grosses me out is that my google search of “miley cyrus age” yielded, as its first result, a site entitled “Miley Cyrus Age Countdown,” the sole purpose of which is to count down the days until Miley turns 18 (in other words, becomes legal). Gross.

So, while I am all about linking back and giving credit where credit is due, I will NOT be linking to that site. I hope you understand.

Moving right along.

For the sake of discussion, let’s all agree to forget Miley’s so young. Jenny Packham makes a ridiculously ravishing gown. And Miley’s hair and makeup are marvelous. Marvelous. I mean, those are some EYELASHES, girl. You clearly aren’t kidding around. All in all, we’ve got some truly great inspiration for a bridal look worthy of an awards show.

Now for a little bling inspiration…

Okay, so that’s what Miley wore. However, I’d like to offer up to you some of my own glitzy suggestions, all from Packham’s Spring 2010 line:

Jenny’s got some fabulous bling going on for Spring, I do not lie. It’s beyond hot and I’m a little obsessed. (Stay tuned if you want to see the rest; I’m planning to feature lots more of her bright, flashy line in an upcoming post!)

One last thing. Here’s the lad with whom she spent significant chunks of time that night. Cutie, right? They’re starring in a movie together that I will likely not go to see. But best of luck to them both.

His name is Liam Hemsworth, and he was by Miley’s side as they attended the 18th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Award Party in West Hollywood, California. Good golly, Miss Miley. Nicely done.

You may have noticed that this girl is smokin’ hot. So it doesn’t matter that the bottom half of the gown is TO DIE, but the top looks a bit like a bedazzled flesh-toned leotard. Smokin’ hot makes that okay. Net verdict: LOVE.

Anyone on the search for a black wedding gown? Vera’s all over that…

By the way, if you’re seriously in the market for a black wedding dress, I salute you, pioneer woman. Vera’s is definitely one to consider, but bright and early tomorrow morning I’ll be showing you another black gown that’ll likely blow ya mind. It’s so beautiful, I’m threatened by it.

As most of you already know, this past Saturday I attended one of the most FABULOUS wedding events around. It was, of course, the “Wedding Party,” and it was bananas. I’ll be presenting new photos and inspiration from the event every single day this week. Let’s begin, shall we?

Commencing with our star players: the event was hosted by Claudia Hanlin and Jennifer Zabinski, the two lovely, remarkable women behind the Wedding Library, a chic wedding research boutique located on NYC’s upper east side.

Before I go on, I’d first like to extend my sincerest gratitude to Claudia and Jennifer for having me – the event was INTOXICATING (more on why I chose that word, in a later post) and I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed the experience, from start to finish. (Truly, it was the best way I could have imagined spending my birthday!)

The Party, which began at 10:00 in the morning and lasted well into the afternoon, felt like it whipped by, due in large part to its uber-jam-packedness (yes, a made up word) with delicious goodies, jaw-dropping style, incredible people and breathtaking inspiration. If you weren’t there, well, you’re probably going to regret it once you see the myriad photos I took of everything the event had to offer.

After Claudia and Jennifer welcomed everyone, they handed things over to the one… the only… Darcy Miller, editorial director of Martha Stewart Weddings.

Darcy has quite a presence. She’s all sorts of charming, a bit self-deprecating and, most of all, brilliantly in touch with the wedding industry’s freshest trends and the bride collective’s deepest decorating desires. I eat, sleep and breathe Martha Stewart Weddings, both print and net, yet still found myself hypnotized by the engaging musings and dazzling imagery delivered by this maven of matrimony.

Here, she shares with us the unexpected beauty afforded by an ice sculpture:

You’re going to LOVE what’s in store this week… and I kinda can’t wait to share it all with you. Here’s a sneak peek…

And another…

It’s gotta be in doses, however, because I’ve got a LOT to post. I put my camera battery in a sleeper hold and didn’t let up over the course of nearly five hours. Thank bejeezus my friend brought along her own, or I might have been that blonde girl openly crying in the second row during the Vera Wang runway show.

Fortunately, it didn’t go quite like that. Instead, I snapped a bazillion photos, all beginning with this one:

Just wait until you see the rest.

Oh, and it’s not just gowns I’ll be posting… though the rush one experiences at a Vera Wang runway show is likely comparable to that achieved in summiting Mount Everest (I wouldn’t know firsthand, but it’s probably accurate).

I’ve got dessert tables that tantalize, wedding cakes coated in buttercream, colorful crafts for the creatives out there, and so much more.

Maybe you’ve got a hot date this Valentine’s Day. Do ya? Or maybe you and your honey have extra-special plans for this fast approaching day of lovers. Yeah, you know what I’m driving at.

… I’m referring to a nice, intimate dinner at home, followed by some innocent cuddling. You dirty girl.

If it’s neither the first nor the second, then maybe you simply live for deliciously dainty design. Yeah? Then we’re soul sistas in that respect. Now, whatever you’re doing for Valentine’s Day, one thing is for sure: you’re going to look fabulous no matter what you wear.

… But adding some fun and flirty flash to rev up your chosen duds certainly couldn’t hurt, am I right? I’m right. I know that, for me, an extra-lovely, slightly sparkly touch of jewelry always serves to brighten my outlook when it’s just one of those days when the threads and the blush just aren’t enough.

They even have a special section for V-Day. (That’s where I found all of this yumminess <– I love that word; wonder who coined it. I thought I made it up until a few months ago. That was a disappointing day.)

As announced on Twitter, we’re doing a Countdown to Valentine’s Day Tour, right here within the confines of this bloggity blog blog. So, less a tour, per se, more a countdown to Valentine’s Day. But all the same to you, right? What? Just get to the project? Oh… oh okay. Here you go…

So, I am madly in love with this little V-Day inspired project from Molly of The Purl Bee!

Valentine’s Day approaches, and I don’t have to tell you which flower is practically synonymous with that holiday. So, what could be better than rose barrettes? They’re pretty adorable, and I think they’d be quite a chic addition to any little kiddo’s otherwise drab V-Day ensemble. You know, if you’re into that kind of thing. (Even if you don’t think you are, you will be, trust me. My sister’s little girl wears THE CUTEST OUTFITS ON EARTH, and my sister – hey, Jen! – is and has always been the polar opposite of what one would call a “girlie girl.” Go figure.

When I have a little girl, she’ll be wearing felt barrettes that I made with my bare hands and she’ll LIKE IT.

Molly gives you a step by step tutorial over at The Purl Bee ~ be sure to check it out so you can get crackin’ on these cuties!

I can totally see one of these barrettes atop the precious little noggin of a flower girl. Or even an arrangement of four or five in a row, creating a kind of homemade head wreath! Oooohh that would be too cute for words. I would LOVE to see a picture of that in action!

I totally have those clips, you probably do, too. Everybody had those growing up!

I’d love to see how these turn out, my darling readers. If you decide to try your hand at this project, you MUST send a shot to theknottybride {@} gmail {dot} com!

Have you noticed a pattern in Carrie’s signature style over the years? I suspect you may have, as she’s been following it to a tee – almost religiously. Carrie is pretty consistent… in fact, one might say there are no shades of gray (or much of any other color, for that matter, save for the occasional all black ensemble, and a few brightly colored numbers she’s sprinkled in over the years).

Are you picking up what I’m puttin’ down?

If it isn’t already obvious – and I do believe I’ve beaten it to a pulp at this point – the 26-year-old has a rather serious penchant for evening gowns and cocktail dresses that keep it on the whiter side of things. She clearly knows what works for her, and isn’t afraid to stick with it. Sort of like back in grade school, whenever I found a top that fit me just right, I’d leave the store with at least three, in different colors. (Noooo, I didn’t catch flack for that.) So I feel ya, Carrie.

Here, flip through these and you’ll see what I mean…

[flagallery gid=10 name="Lady in (shades of) white"]

So, with that said, are you thinking what I’m thinking? If you are, then that makes two of us who cannot wait to find out what the future Mrs. Fisher will be wearing for that walk down a very different kind of carpet. Hint hint, nudge nudge.

This next set of photos have a certain special thing in common, that is, aside from being taken in California. Each of them… well, can you guess?

These amazing engagement shots, taken on the beach in Santa Monica, are by California photographer Caroline Tran, and they are treasures.

I’m not much of a fan of the “all kissing, all the time” engagement shoots. They can easily turn into too much of a good thing; the beauty of such intimacy can be lost with repetition. But that’s not what’s happened here.

I adore nearly all things California, I think it’s obvious by now. (A failing economy, fires and one movie star governor are behind the “nearly.”) With so many awe-inspiring bits of photographic beauty emerging from the oblong state on the western edge of our country, it’s hard not to fall deeply and hopelessly in love with its warm sunny glow. And what Sarah Yates produces is no exception…

Like Monique is one of the Queens of Comedy, Sarah Yates is – in my humble opinion, one of the Queens of Engagement & Wedding Photography. And her attractive and endearing subjects don’t hurt, either. This brings me to another thing I love about California. (Resisting the urge to write “Cali” at every turn here, people. It’s rough going.)

I cherish people who wear color. They are the few, the fiery, the walking embodiment of joy. Wearing color can brighten your day, and it can have that same effect on those around you. I always feel a special something different when I wear color, and whatever that is, it feels good, every time. So, if you’re up to it, I suggest adding a splash of color to your typical look if you don’t already… it’s fun, and that’s what life’s about, please don’t forget that!

***

By the way, remember Cannelle Et Vanille from earlier? Here are a handful of other reasons I love her…

While combing flickr for some stellar inspiration, I lucked into finding this brilliant set of photographs by flag75*, each one more colorful and intriguing than the next. They remind me of that game segment from one of those late night talk shows – the name of which I can’t recall at the moment – that featured super zoomed in shots of things, and we had to guess what those things were, based on the really close up, ridiculously obscure images we were given (shoot, I really can’t remember the show – this is killing me – was it on Jay?).

Well, if that game reference rang a bell for you, and you aren’t totally lost right now, then this flickr photo set reminds me of that game, except this game would be a way easier version. Like, stupid easy. That is, unless you don’t brush your teeth, you’ve never measured anything, and you think the term “LEGO” refers to a declaration made by some very possessive Eggo Waffle-eating children and adults.

***

You can get some truly inspiration color coordinated mosaics out of this amazing set, like these few I whipped up…

Surfing around on the Etsy wave one day, I happened upon Ashley’s shop. In my opinion, her sterling silver jewelry is, as my two year old nephew likes to say, “oooh, so cute.” (He’s clearly parroting us, especially if you could hear the inflection in his voice when he says those words – it’s… well, it’s so cute! If you’d like to know what I mean, watch this video of an adorable little kitteh and allow yourself to react to it aloud. I feel somewhat confident that the video I’ve linked will bring it out of you, because it brings it out of me, and I don’t even much like little kitteh videos. What I DO like, however, is writing kitten, kitteh. Thanks, rest of the internet, for that one. I like puppeh, too.

Okay, slight tangent, but I’m back on track. And now, the jewelry…

What cute ideas for wedding day accessories! Ashley describes her pieces as “simple, classic and fun.” And, aren’t they?

Here it is at a different angle. Not necessary, but I’m kind of in love with her background colors.

How about a little mix and match?

What’s your wedding day theme, if you have one? If it’s love birds, how ’bout a little bit o’ this…

Want to know what’s been really tough for me to do? Pick just ONE color palette for my wedding. That’s one of the most difficult decisions I’ve faced while planning my affair and it’s not getting any easier the more inspiration I find. And guess what? It’s a challenging thing to plan a wedding when you haven’t absolutely, positively decided on your color scheme. It’s sort of the crux of the matter.

But just LOOK at what I find out there, on a daily basis!

… Starting with some of the most darling packaging I’ve found, over at oh, hello friend…

And these magical shots found on ffffound :) of that most perfect time of day, sunset…

Considering cake toppers? Many of us go back and forth on the subject, and I’m no exception. I think I like the idea of a cake topper but, so far, I haven’t really liked my options. For the most part, the ones I’ve seen are just so kitschy – and not even the good, hip kind of kitschy… the bad, crappy kind of kitschy that “kitsch” is actually meant to denote.

This all changed today.

Today, I drove out to Pasadena, CA, and met with my lovely and quite fabulously dressed wedding photographer for the first time in person. For those of you who don’t know, I’m vacationing in southern CA for a family reunion of sorts and, since my photographer lives out here, we arranged to kick it for a few. SO glad we got a chance to meet face to face at least once before go-time. I feel much more confident about this whole crazy arrangement now. I’m quite aware of the downsides to choosing a vendor from far, far way, but here’s the thing about me: when I get a feeling about someone/something, I go with it.

Anywho, after spending some QT with the talented young lady and her soon-to-be sister-in-law, I headed straight to a nearby bookstore and beelined it to the wedding magazines. (You know – because I’m planning a wedding and magazines are like pages of ice cream filled with idea sprinkles. I’m this close to licking them right there in the store.) So there I am, face to face with the usual suspects, but find myself looking for something different – something new, or at least something local.

I end up passing on everything local, mostly due to the inverse ratio of ads to actual magazine content (it’s getting worse than MTV programming these days – what? No, I don’t watch MTV programming). About ready to leave, I decided to pick up an unknown. At least I’d never seen a copy of it in NY. It’s called Weddingstar, and as I flipped through this 400 page behemoth I fell instantly in love. The ads seemed nonexistent, but in fact they’re just seamlessly rolled in. Me likey.

In exchange for an Alexander Hamilton, the book – because it’s a book, not a magazine; nothing 400 pages long can be considered a magazine – was mine.

Alright now… here’s one of the reasons it stood out from the rest and became today’s Fab Find:

An AH. MAZ. ING. cake toppers feature.

Check it below, girlfriends and boyfriends. In honor of the movie I just watched tonight – Away We Go…

Beginning with my big three; these are my top toppers.

This one somehow makes me feel happy about getting married…

And these next two represent what I’m absolutely sure are his top two dream wedding scenarios…

I know my nephew would love this one. (My nephew’s 3 years old.)

These Love Birds are darling to the nth degree…

Man, the set design on these is brilliant, is it not?

This one is especially romantic, in my opinion…

And then there’s your grab-a-butt topper…

Watch out, it goes both ways:

So, as you’ve seen, there are some lovely options out there these days. I have just one request. Please, don’t go with this one. Not a good start to the whole union thing.

Your magazines are among the only ones I keep, for years past the date printed on the cover. Why? Because the ideas that line the glossy pages of each and every issue you make are the kind that will never go out of style. And these ideas right here – which I rediscovered while flipping through the pages of an oldie-but-goodie during a recent cross-country flight – are precisely what I mean…

I’m going to show you my wedding shoes. I’m really gonna do it. I can’t find a good enough reason to hold it back another second.

But first, some background…

I covet a pretty little peep toe in a rich, BOLD cherry red. It’s my thing. We all have our things. Many of us (myself included) have many different “things.” But one thing is for sure: I would sleep with my red heels if I didn’t think I’d lose an eye overnight.

So, apparently I am a dying breed. Am I alone in this? I had not an inkling that my sweetheart was about to do what he went ahead and did that wonderful evening in Mexico. And, to me, that’s what made it so special. My thoughts and feelings the moment he began to kneel were none I had ever experienced before. A mix of exuberance, shock, extreme shock, fright, happiness, nervous anxiety, indescribable joy and more came rushing into my body, all at once mind you, which can UNDERSTANDABLY result in what was for him, deeply uncomfortable silence. But at least it was genuine, due to the pure surprise of it all, and down to the less than ladylike expletives that can pour from the mouth that will often come in a moment of utter shock and extreme joy. All good for me, but for him, it was a slightly different story, which I came to learn soon after… and which I’ll recount in full for you sometime soon.

Anyway, sometime after the proposal, we discussed the ring, which was the world renowned classic – “Tiffany Setting” – yes, the very one that Charlotte York’s character wore in “Sex and the City.”

The ring was too large for my finger, and so at the very least it had to be re-sized. This was unavoidable, and understood by both of us that, once we returned stateside, we’d need to make some changes. He then asked me what I thought of the ring itself, the design. I told him I thought it was a beautiful ring and I loved it. He then asked me if I wanted to keep it that design, or if I’d like to do some research and redesign it completely (essentially the only constant would be the diamond itself). I chose this option.

… To me, it was on this topic that he said one of the most peculiar things he has eversaid in all of the years that I have known him – and boys say pretty peculiar things, so that’s saying a lot. It was about my engagement ring, and it was essentially a complaint.

FH: “Well you didn’t exactly give me any hints about what kind of ring you wanted. Girls give hints! You never gave me ONE hint!!!”

Huh?

‘Girls give hints’? … to the men they are dating, and about the design and carat size of the engagement ring with which they have not yet been presented? I know a lot of things, but I didn’t know this one.

Of all the things I predicted my FH would get upset over throughout our lives — my inherent and persistent lateness; my inability to open and close my Kiehl’s Intensive Treatment and Moisturizer tube without making a ‘snap’ sound and jolting him awake – the fact that I never once hinted at exactly what I wanted out of his marriage proposal to me was not one of them. It had never occurred to me to hint.

Anyway, the article below — which I stumbled upon earlier while searching for something entirely not on this topic — piqued my interest; enough so that I felt inclined to bring it back here to you.

Tracking an upward trend, wedding website The Knot recently surveyed 9,000 newlywed couples and found that 67 percent of the brides were involved in the selection and/or purchase of their engagement rings. The results reflect an increase of 5 percent from just a few years ago. The website also tracked shopping habits in cases where the bride was involved in the ring-purchase process. It found that couples spent an average of $5,800 on an engagement ring.

In generations past, brides were most often surprised with rings chosen by their fiancés, but these days it is increasingly popular for a bride to participate in her ring selection. After all, not only will she be wearing the ring for the rest of her life, but there is also now a much wider selection of rings styles, diamond shapes and cuts, and ethically sourced materials available. And while round brilliant and princess shaped diamonds remain the most popular, with so many choices grooms are now grateful to have the bride’s help with selecting or designing the perfect ring!

Brilliant Earth carries hundreds of different ring styles, diamond cuts, setting materials and side stones that allow you to customize your perfect engagement ring, whether it be traditional, modern or romantic. Our step-by-step ring design process explains and helps you to select from all of the available choices and makes putting together a beautifully designed ring an exciting and smooth process. Plus, as always, our conflict-free diamonds and recycled gold and platinum are socially and environmentally responsible, so that you can feel good about your choices.

You may have seen this golden beauty on The Today Show with Kathie Lee and Hoda: it’s the Limited Edition COUSIN CLAUDINE EXCLUSIVE FOR JENNIFER MILLER, and I highly recommend it! And why not on your wedding day, as your ‘something pink?’ :) In my opinion, it would look stunning on a bride’s wrist as she walks down the aisle. So, consider supporting this October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Charity Program benefiting SUSAN G KOMEN FOR THE CURE by dawning one of these:Breast Cancer Awareness bracelet of jewels.